How to change default windows icons?

Windows does not support globally changing all built‑in system icons through a single built‑in setting, but several related customizations are possible depending on what needs to be changed.

1. Change default desktop system icons (This PC, Recycle Bin, etc.)

On Windows 10 Home, system desktop icons can be customized:

1. Open Settings > Personalization > Themes.
2. Select Desktop icon settings.
3. In the dialog, select a system icon (for example This PC, Recycle Bin, Network, User’s Files).
4. Select Change Icon…, choose an icon, then select OK.
5. Select OK again to apply.

If custom icons should not be changed when switching themes, clear Allow themes to change desktop icons.

2. Change icons for individual folders via shortcuts

Default folder icons in File Explorer cannot be globally changed, but a shortcut to a folder can use a custom icon:

1. Right‑click the folder and select Create shortcut.
2. Right‑click the new shortcut and select Properties.
3. On the Shortcut tab, select Change Icon….
4. Pick an icon and select OK, then OK again.

If no icons are listed when selecting Change Icon…:

1. In the Change Icon dialog, select Browse….
2. Enter c:\windows\system\shell32.dll in File name, then select Open.
3. Choose an icon, select OK, then OK.
4. Assign custom icons to file types (developer/advanced scenario)

For file types that show a generic icon, a custom default icon can be assigned through the registry:

1. Create a DefaultIcon subkey under one of these locations:
   • For a file extension: HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\.extension
   • For an application ProgID: HKEY_CLASSES_ROOT\ProgID
2. Set the default value of DefaultIcon (type REG_SZ) to the full path of the file that contains the icon (for example, an .ico file or an executable with embedded icons).
3. Call SHChangeNotify to refresh the Shell icon cache so the new icon appears in Explorer.
4. Assign custom icons to specific folders using Desktop.ini (developer/advanced scenario)

Windows supports assigning custom icons to specific folders using a Desktop.ini file. This is a per‑folder customization rather than a global change of all folder icons.

References:

• Customize the Desktop Icons in Windows
• Cannot Change the Default Folder Icons in Windows Explorer
• How to Arrange or Move Icons on the Desktop
• Customizing Icons
• How to Assign a Custom Icon to a File Type